The right to die Discussion Work in pairs. Match these words to the definitions below: suicide murder manslaughter euthanasia 1. The painless killing of a patient who is suffering from an incurable and painful disease. 2. The action of killing oneself deliberately. 3. The illegal, deliberate killing of a human being. 4. The crime of killing a person illegally but not intentionally. Which of these are crimes in your country? Do you agree with the law as it is at the moment? Reading In pairs or small groups, read the following situations and discuss the questions below each one: 1. Alan Jones, aged 78, had a second stroke three weeks ago. He has severe brain damage and his condition is getting worse. At the request of his daughter, a nurse stops giving him oxygen until his heart stops. the nurse then starts giving oxygen again. People think that Mr Jones died naturally. Later, Mr Jones' daughter tells a friend what happened. The friend is married to a police officer. As a result, the police charge the nurse with murder. Do you feel that the nurse has committed a crime? Do you feel that the daughter has committed a crime? What punishments, if any, should be given? 2. Eighty-seven-year-old Alice Weller broke her hip a year ago. She was taken to hospital where, during an operation to repair her hip, her heart stopped. Although resuscitated, she had severe brain damage and the doctors felt that she had lost consciousness totally and permanently. they therefore wished to switch off her life-support machine. Mrs Weller's family, however, objected strongly, saying that she was extremely religious and felt that only God had the right to take life away. What do you think the doctors should do?

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